Thursday, June 19, 2014
Seven days without the Bible makes one week (weak).
The Bible is the all-time, heavyweight best seller of all books. Yet sadly, it may also be the least read. We like having one on the coffee table or nightstand, not to read, but to show.
A Barna survey found that 88 percent of Americans have a Bible in their home, but only about 37 percent of them read it on a regular basis. Forty percent of respondents said the main reason they were not reading the Bible was that they were too busy.
No wonder, then, that so many Christians are spiritually anemic, clueless as to God's will, and easily swayed by cultural goobledygook.
Faith is strengthened and set on fire by hearing the Word. Conversely, faith withers and wilts when we don't hear it.
As the Israelites were commanded to DAILY gather the God sent manna, so should we the manna of God's word. "Give us THIS DAY our daily bread," Jesus taught us to pray. Along with physical food, that includes food for the soul.
I have what is called a "Light Bible." When you open it, it triggers a light that shines out onto your face. I use it for illustration purposes.
But honestly, that's exactly the way I feel when I open God's Word. Spiritual light pours out and shines on my soul. "Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Ps.119:105).
Here's the deal. When the Word of God is neglected, both individually and nationally, a slow drift away from God is set in motion.
It is much like when a person lies down in a float in the ocean to relax and catch some sun. When they lift their head up fifteen minutes later, they are stunned at how far out the tide has taken them.
Thus it is when we lie down in our complacency and forget God's Word. We wake up one day shocked at how far we've drifted!
These are dark and dire days. Our only hope is a move of God, which I believe can happen! But awakening has always fallen exclusively on those whose prayers shook heaven, and whose souls burned with the fire of God's Word!
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Rule of Law
I'm all for immigration, but not of the illegal kind.
Immigration used to be about the high honor of becoming an American citizen.
Citizenship required ASSIMILATION. Those coming our way from other countries were required to be (and wanted to be) AMERICAN.
The path to American citizenship required the ability to read, write, and speak English, and have knowledge and an understanding of U.S. history and government.
In other words, you became one of us, and were proud and thankful for the ability to do so.
But that was then, and this is...not then. Now we are treated to the truly frightening spectacle of a tidal wave of immigrants rushing our borders illegally, trouncing on our constitution, defying our laws, with no desire whatsoever to be a genuinely assimilated American.
The Bible says, "...those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God..." (Ro. 13:2)
America is being invaded by hordes of willing lawbreakers. Drug cartels, gang members, and other vicious and dangerous individuals are marching across our borders with nary a concern about being stopped.
If they won't obey our laws at the first, why should they be expected to obey them once in?
And our President, who laid his hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the laws of the land, is not only doing nothing, but is actually encouraging this lawlessness.
This makes me hearken back to ancient Rome. Who could topple this dominant master of the world? The answer is--only Rome. And topple herself she did. How? Simple.
Rome bit the dust because:
*Tyranny had replaced the rule of law.
*The high officials and tax collectors cared nothing for the people's good, they cared only for gold.
*The Roman government laid heavy and unjust taxes upon the middle classes. (The middle class is the backbone of a nation. In Rome's last days they were so oppressed they ceased to exist.)
*The military had been weakened and gutted, inviting attack.
*Sensing her growing weakness, wild barbarian hordes poured over Rome's porous, unprotected borders. Lawless Goths, Visigoths, and Huns (Remember Attila?) seized the moment.
As the end neared, Roman life revolved around "bread and circuses." The government's motto? Keep the masses preoccupied with endless entertainment lest they take note of what is really happening.
They say history repeats itself because we never learn from it. Unfortunately, I would have to agree!
America is falling fast and has only one hope--a mighty move of the Holy Spirit producing deep national repentance and turning to Christ. He's done it before, and He can do it again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)